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Soft Black Truffle Polenta with Slow-Cooked Egg, Parmigiano Reggiano, and Herb Oil
Recipe

Soft Black Truffle Polenta with Slow-Cooked Egg, Parmigiano Reggiano, and Herb Oil

Starter • italy

A refined Italian starter: creamy polenta enriched with Parmigiano and black truffle, crowned with a slow-cooked egg and lifted with aromatic herb oil.

Why smarter

Slow-cooking the eggs yields a luxurious, custardy texture without extra fat, while a small amount of truffle and a vivid herb oil deliver high impact flavour so the portion can stay starter-sized yet satisfying.

Chef tip

Keep the polenta loose enough to just settle on the plate; if it thickens while waiting, loosen with a splash of hot water or warm milk before serving.

Soft line

Serve in warm shallow bowls and finish with a few flakes of salt and a final whisper of truffle for a restaurant-style touch.

Ingredients

# Ingredient Text Amount Unit Ingredient Name Notes
1 750 ml water 750.000 ml water
2 250 ml whole milk 250.000 ml whole milk
3 1 tsp fine sea salt, plus extra to finish 1.000 tsp fine sea salt
4 160 g fine instant polenta (quick-cook) 160.000 g instant polenta Fine grind preferred for a silky texture
5 35 g unsalted butter 35.000 g unsalted butter
6 60 g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated, plus extra to finish 60.000 g Parmigiano Reggiano
7 2 tsp black truffle paste (or 1–2 tsp finely grated fresh black truffle if available) 2.000 tsp black truffle paste
8 1 tsp truffle oil (optional, to finish) 1.000 tsp truffle oil Use sparingly
9 4 large eggs 4.000 eggs
10 70 ml extra-virgin olive oil 70.000 ml extra-virgin olive oil
11 20 g flat-leaf parsley leaves 20.000 g flat-leaf parsley Leaves only
12 10 g chives, roughly chopped 10.000 g chives
13 1 small garlic clove, crushed 1.000 garlic
14 1 tsp fresh lemon juice 1.000 tsp lemon juice
15 Freshly ground black pepper, to taste black pepper

Method

  1. Make the herb oil: In a small blender, combine the olive oil, parsley, chives, crushed garlic, lemon juice and a small pinch of salt. Blend until vivid green and smooth. Pass through a fine sieve into a small bowl (press gently), then set aside.
  2. Slow-cook the eggs: Heat a pot of water to 63–64°C (use a thermometer). Gently lower in the eggs (in their shells) and cook for 45 minutes, keeping the temperature steady. When done, keep warm in the water off the heat.
  3. Cook the polenta: Bring the water, milk and fine sea salt to a gentle simmer. Whisk in the polenta in a steady stream. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring often, until thickened and silky (about 3–5 minutes for instant polenta).
  4. Enrich and perfume: Off the heat, stir in the butter and Parmigiano until glossy. Mix in the truffle paste. Season with black pepper and a touch more salt if needed. The polenta should be soft and spoonable; loosen with a splash of hot water or warm milk if it tightens.
  5. Plate: Warm 4 shallow bowls. Spoon polenta into each and gently spread into a soft pool.
  6. Finish with egg and oils: Crack each slow-cooked egg into a small cup, then slide one onto each portion of polenta. Spoon a little herb oil around and over the egg. Finish with a light shower of Parmigiano and (optional) a few drops of truffle oil. Serve immediately.